The Clifton clarion., 1887-07-27
THE PRISON COMMISSIONERS

tAC SOAttAdbo Oi d IhC hCtiOlASou l1a
 per-the Phenix Herald-which
 attacks the administration gen
 erally and in which particular at
 tention IS paid to prison matters,
 and an alleged rupture between
 Superintendent Gates and Prison
 Commissioner P. R. Bardy on the
 one side and Commissioner Stevens
 and Lyons on the other. We quote
 a portion of the article:
 ''The contest has begun seriously
 in the Territorial prison between
 Superintendent Gates, an honest,
 substantial citizen of the Territory,
 and a Democrat who respects prin-
 ciple, Is honorable and able, Prison
 Commissioner r. R. Brady, an
 other man of the same stamp and
 their friends who stand with them,
 which means all respectable Dem
 ocrats. on the one side, and Little
 Steve" of Graham, Lyons of
 Yuma, with the remainder of Zu-
 lick's gang on the other side. The
 contest has already narrowed it.
 self down to the point that the
 Governor must either remove
 Stevens and Lyons from the Ter
 ritorial Prison Commission or fight
 the respectable portion of the
 Democratic party of the Territory.
 The immediate cause of the trouble is the prison turnkey, one Joe Cottrell, an ex-rustler of Ora ham county, and who 1t is said, by those who know, was at one time in jail there under the charge of horse-stealing, but escaped the penitentiary through Stevens combinations. When Stevens was appointed on the Prison Commis- sion he put this man Cottrell in as turnkey, and it is currently re- ported that this turnkey has habit ot getting drunk in the prison, going among the prisoners and creating general demoraliza- tion. against which Superintendent Gates very strenuously objects. Commissioner r. R. Brady stands firmly by Superintendent Gates for the removal of this turnkey, while Stevens and Lyons propose to keep him there and by the con- nivance or dilatory action of the Governor have so far succeeded in doing so. The contest has reached such heat that either Gates or Cottrell must go. The Governor must remove Stevens and Lyons to make room for men who will shut the turnkey off or he must al- low Gates to be removed, which means that Brady will go and the rustler gang get possession of the Territorial prison. etc, and bring down on the Governors head the vengeance of the best element of the Territorial Democracy"
 As to the truth and facts of the above, originating with a Repub- lican paper, anxious. to SOW dis cord and trouble in the Demo cratic ranks, the statements con tained therein must be taken at their fair value-nothIng more than a distortion of circumstances and containing some real misstate- ments. Its indorsement by the Star amounts to nothing. The course pursued by Mir Hughes ever since he was very properly refused office by Governor Zulick has been one of disappointed .mal- ice. Protesting to be Democrat, he possesses neither the confidence of his own party nor the respect of his opponents; at the head of a newspaper, Lis sheet exer- cises no influence, for honest men have no fear of his virulent attacks and only rogues can be made the victims of his blackmail. An honest political opponent we can respect; q renegade to his party, with no more honest motives than revenge because of disappointed ambition, Is to be dispised. Mir. Hughes has made some money in the past out of his paper. How it was done is too we'll known to need repetion.
 In publishing the above article MT. Hughes endorses the statement that Tom Gates is an "honest, sub stantial citizen of the Territory" At the time Mir. Gates was seeking political preferment MT. Hughes did not consider the gentleman in any such light, but on the con trary as one not worthy of trust and utterly incapable of holding public office. To attempt another stab at the Territorial administra- tion, it becomes necessary for the weathercock editor to change front This is natural to Pinhead and is performed with great ease and eel erity. II Hughes and Gates re present the respectable portion of the Territorial Democracy, the CLARION will take its stand with the hustler gang" for there, at least, we wlli find some manhood and party patriotism.
 Now we propose to lay few